Friday, April 1 to Sunday, April 3, 2016 at Proctor’s GE Theater in Schenectady, NY

2016 program highlights women filmmakers, directors under 40 years old and a local film by Aden Suchak, made while a student at Albany High School.

Featured Director Mara Ahmed comes to Schenectady to present her film “A Thin Wall.”

Schenectady, NY (March 5, 2016) – Festival Cinema Invisible will host several world, US and regional premier film screening at Proctor’s GE Theater from April 1-3, 2016. FCI is the only film festival in upstate New York that showcases films from Persian-speaking communities and the extended Middle East region. FCI’s annual celebration brings together cinema enthusiasts and filmmakers to discover the best “invisible cinema.”

Whereas previous editions of the festivals focused on films from Iran, FCI 2016 will screen 29 feature and short films (including animations) representing Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan, India, Syria, the United States and beyond, along with panel discussions and an opening reception. The line-up includes films that are regional, US and world premiers.

The full program and screening schedule is available at http://cinemainvisible.org/fci-2016-schedule/

FCI 2016 starts with a kick-off reception on Friday, April 1, 2016 from 7pm – 9pm and will feature engaging presentations by guest speakers, light fare and a cash bar. Films will screen Saturday, April 2 from 12pm-9pm and Sunday April 3, from 12pm-6pm. There will be panel discussions on both days. Director Mara Ahmed will be in attendance on Saturday to screen her film “A Thin Wall,” about the partition of India and Pakistan, and a Q&A with the director will follow.

Tickets are available at the Proctor’s Theater Box Office and website. Full festival passes (which include the Friday reception and all sessions on Saturday and Sunday) are $40. Single-day passes are $25, individual session tickets are $10, and Friday reception-only tickets are $10.

“2016 is our strongest line-up yet, and we are very excited to present these moving, captivating and thought-provoking films in the Capital Region,” said Festival Cinema Invisible assistant director Scott Collins. “We hope our audience will come away with a greater understanding of Iran and the broader region, and that FCI can play a role in facilitating communication and understanding among nations, peoples and communities.”

Women directed about half of the films in this year’s festival – which is significant because women are typically underrepresented in film. For example, in 2015, only 32% of directors of films in the 10 top worldwide fes­tivals were women.[1] Additionally, the majority of filmmakers represented at this year’s Festival Cinema Invisible are under 40 years of age. They are new voices at the vanguard of millennial cinema.

Assistant Director Candace Burnham said, “Film is a unique medium in that it’s accessible and can transcend borders and help break stereotypes. FCI 2016 features films that are based in historical and cultural traditions, but also unpack sensitive ideas of identity, childhood, disability, exile, conflict, gender, immigration, political upheaval, censorship and oppression.”

About Festival Cinema Invisible

Festival Cinema Invisible (FCI) is an independent, not-for-profit venue dedicated to the celebration of Middle Eastern arts and cinema.

FCI believes there are several characteristics that can make a film “invisible”- hidden themes, being subjected to censorship in its country of origin and/or forgotten or ignored subject matter (among others).

During its previous four annual festivals, FCI Festivals featured over 100 Iranian and international films which were either world premiers, national premiers or regional premiers. As FCI President Mahmood Karimi-Hakak said, “What’s unique about FCI is that most of the films that are screened are not only world or US premiers, but have also never been screened officially in their home countries.”

FCI also hosts the bi-monthly film series “Pathways to Iran,” which explores various aspects of Iranian culture, at Proctor’s GE Theater.

More information about FCI and the 2016 Festival can be found on its website, http://cinemainvisible.org/ or its Facebook page www.facebook.com/FestivalCinemaInvisible
Film stills and Festival images are available upon request.For further information please contact: